Is Teflon really safe?

DEAR DR. GOTT: My wife is systematically discarding all of our Teflon-coated pots, pans and utensils in response to a perceived concern that Teflon is a health risk. Furthermore, we are significantly reducing our purchases of canned goods because of the plastic lining or thin film placed inside cans. Plastic ware is also being replaced with glass. Are there any realistic or measurable health issues associated with Teflon and plastic to justify such a concern?

DEAR READER: I had to research the topic carefully because of so many conflicting views on the subject. Let’s determine whether we can make some sense of the findings.
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